PDIP: Don't Be Proud If You Still Import Cattle From Australia And India

PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto in a Hybrid Group Discussion Forum (FGD) with the theme of Fattening People's Cows for Food Sovereignty, Thursday, July 14

JAKARTA - Secretary General of the PDI-P (PDIP) Hasto Kristiyanto reminded the importance of providing affordable beef for the community. The goal is to fight for food sovereignty.

Hasto said that apart from encouraging the planting of complementary rice crops according to the direction of PDIP General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri, his party also wants the Bali cattle species to be utilized by the community. At least, there are several advantages of this breed, including being able to give birth up to 17 times.

This statement was conveyed by Hasto in the Forum Group Discussion (FGD) which was held in a hybrid manner with the theme of Fattening People's Cows for Food Sovereignty, Thursday, July 14.

"Let's declare a Sovereign Indonesia in the food sector by supplying the meat needs for the people which we develop ourselves. How about this fattening of cattle, Indonesia is increasingly sovereign in the food sector and at the same time invigorating the people's economy", said Hasto in his written statement.

PDIP, continued Hasto, will encourage their regional heads to develop Bali cattle which are bull calves and Javanese cattle in a modern way. One of them, by encouraging them to establish a Regional Research and Innovation Agency (Brinda) in their respective regions.

Later, the research office can cooperate with local universities. The goal is that food development can be carried out so that the benefits will be more felt by the community.

"So we should not be proud if we still import cattle from Australia and India. But how will we export Bali beef, which can be developed in all regions in Indonesia, driving the people's economy by prioritizing research and innovation", he said.

Meanwhile, a member of Commission VI of the DPR from the PDIP I Faction, Nyoman Parta, explained that there was a deficit in Indonesia because Indonesia's meat needs were 706,388 tons with a national production of 436,704 tons. Beef imports in 2022 will reach 266,065 tons.

With the Bali cattle, it is hoped that the demand for meat in the country can be met. Moreover, this type of cow has advantages such as being easy to adapt because it can eat anything until the quality of class I meat reaches 53 percent.

However, Parta does not deny that there are still many problems that must be faced regarding this Bali cattle. Including the existence of a cook or chef who considers the meat hard because it follows the meat standards of other countries.

Thus, research must be carried out and the government is asked to intervene to control cattle breeds, provide training, to require hotels and restaurants to use local meat.

"Research and innovation, as well as people's training, are the keys", said Nyoman Parta in the FGD activity.

Meanwhile, the Head of the PDIP Fraction for Cooperatives and MSMEs, Mindo Sianipar, said his party was ready to help people who are interested in developing Bali cattle fattening. PDIP will provide consultation assistance, especially regarding the economic scale of the program.

"Cow farming certainly has economies of scale. So there are ways of working together for the people to be able to carry out this fattening program. Please contact the PDI-P office for the populist sector", he stressed.

The FGD activity at the PDIP DPP office, Jalan Diponegoro, Central Jakarta was attended by Hasto Kristiyanto, PDIP Deputy General Treasurer Rudianto Tjen, and PDIP Chairmen including Mindo Sianipar, Ahmad Basarah, and Wiryanti Sukamdani. Meanwhile, Megawati Soekarnoputri was present online.